Retro Roundup: Xbox Originals Vol. 4

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The longest journey begins anew.

By Erik Brudvig

On December 4, 2007, Microsoft launched the Xbox Originals service. Through the Xbox Live Marketplace, you can now download original Xbox titles for 1200 Microsoft Points ($15 USD). Rather than reviewing these games all over again, we give you the Retro Roundup. Here you can find all of the information you'll need to make your downloading decisions. For each title recently released, we'll run down everything from the size of the download to whether the game has stood the test of time.

None of the Xbox Originals have been significantly changed in any way from how they were first released. That means you won't get achievements or find online play in a game that didn't have it the first time around. Since these downloads are running on the same emulation software that allows you to run Xbox games in your 360, the experience is the same. The plus side to that is that any Xbox saves you have on your 360 will work with the originals, and vice versa. The downside is that not every game runs perfectly. Microsoft has released a list of the known issues for the Xbox Originals which you can find here.

While the gameplay has been drastically simplified, the story remains as engaging as ever. Characters engage in deep conversation, revealing all sorts of nuances and helping to strengthen this game's unique mood. Be warned, if you don't like watching lengthy conversations or if you generally disregard a game's plot, you'll be absolutely dissatisfied with Dreamfall. However, if you're in the mood for one of gaming's best and most recent narratives, by all means pick this one up. Just be aware that Dreamfall's appeal lies largely in its narrative and characters, and not in the gameplay.

Dreamfall is oftentimes more of an interactive story than a game. Conversations are long and, to be quite frank, not as impressive as they used to be now that we've played Mass Effect. What's more, the interactivity and gameplay just aren't all there. Thankfully, the characters and story are interesting enough that the outdated (though not terribly so) graphics and weak gameplay don't ruin the experience. There still aren't any quality old-school adventure games on Xbox 360 outside of the Originals, so if you like the genre this is one that is worth a look.

The known issues for Dreamfall on Xbox.com state that the player can get caught in the world's geometry after loading level 8 and that blurry lines may appear at an 840x840 VGA resolution. If you're running the game at 840x840 through VGA, it's time to upgrade your entertainment equipment.

Anyway, our experience with Dreamfall has been largely positive. The game runs well in a native widescreen and the loading is frequent but brief. It doesn't look as dated as other Xbox Originals, though the aliasing issues are rampant when the game is blown up to fit on an HDTV.

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Gamestop sells the Xbox version of Dreamfall for roughly the same price as what you get with Xbox Originals, but if you look on eBay you can find it shipped for a couple of dollars less. However, like other adventure games of the time period, it didn't ship in massive quantities. Buying a copy online is your best bet rather than scouring bargain bins. The game also shipped on PC which makes locating an older copy a little easier.